In praise of the Costa Blanca’s local products

HUNDREDS flocked to the Feria del Embutido (Sausages and Cured Meats Fair) in the inland Costa Blanca town of Lliber. This was the ninth edition of the fair, organised by the Vall de Pop’s Association of Tourism Business-owners (Atevap) and Lliber town hall. Local mayor Jose Juan Reus welcomed all those attending the fair and also thanked the business people involved for their efforts in maintaining the event and promoting the Vall de Pop. As always, the event had a Torraor d’Honor (Cook of Honour), a title bestowed this year on the Denia restaurateur, Pep Romany, who stressed the need to promote traditional, local products.
“This title is recognition of all the restaurant-owners in the area who support and use locally-produced and grown ingredients while promoting the culture of our environment,” Romany said. He was accompanied by previous recipients of the Torraor award, while his predecessor Pepe Vidal, director of Denia’s Centro de Turismo, was given the task of presenting Romany with the apron that accompanied the accolade. As well as the sausages and cured meats for which the Vall de Pop is famous, the fair offered local wines, pastries, honey and almonds, all from the same area. There was also a demonstration from the Castell de Castells expert Miquel Vaquer on sausage-making.